Homelessness in the U.S. surged 18% in the past year, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The rise, driven by unaffordable housing, inflation, systemic racism, natural disasters, and increasing immigration, highlights a deepening crisis.
A total of 771,480 people—about 23 in every 10,000—experienced homelessness in shelters, transitional housing, or unsheltered locations between 2023 and 2024. This marks the sharpest increase in years, following a 12% rise the previous year. Alarmingly, children under 18 faced the largest jump, with a 33% increase leaving 150,000 kids homeless.
Black Americans, despite comprising 12% of the U.S. population, represented 32% of the homeless population, underscoring the impact of systemic inequities.
Government officials point to compounding factors. “The worsening affordable housing crisis, inflation, stagnating wages, systemic racism, and natural disasters have stretched homelessness systems to their limits,” the department stated. The end of pandemic-era homelessness prevention programs further exacerbated the issue.
Cities across the nation have seen increasing numbers of unsheltered individuals living in tents and makeshift shelters on sidewalks. Federal and state responses remain fragmented, with varying strategies to tackle the crisis.
As homelessness grows, the pressure mounts for a coordinated, systemic response to address housing affordability, wage stagnation, and the broader social disparities fueling the crisis.
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